: Now we are joined by the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who is in Far North Queensland today as he continues a multi state blitz with an election announcement expected within weeks. Prime Minister Albanese, thank you for joining us there from Cairns.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be with you.
MARSH: We've got a lot of things to get through today, but firstly, can I get your thoughts on that awful plane crash that's happened in Western Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: This is terrible news. The pictures would have been seen by all Australians as they've woken up this morning. And my heart goes out to all those involved.
MARSH: Yeah, it's an awful tragedy that's unfolding over there. Look, you're in Queensland at the moment, but I just want to touch on some breaking news that's come out overnight from the United States, first. Mark Zuckerberg has said that he wants to work with President Donald Trump to push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor social media more. Do you worry that your social media age restrictions could have inadvertently picked a fight with the incoming President Donald Trump?
PRIME MINISTER: What we're doing is defending the rights of young Australians and defending Australian families. Too many people have been impacted directly by tragedies resulting from social media's impact on young Australians. I've met with parents who've lost their little ones. That should never occur. And we know that the rise in mental health issues has been linked as well to social media. And we make no apologies for standing up for the interests of young Australians. I know that our strong action is being watched right around the world because other leaders that I've spoken to have indicated that they applaud the fact that Australia has taken this action. It's been done. It went through the Parliament with overwhelming support and it has the support of Australian families and we'll continue to do the right thing.
MARSH: If President Trump did have a go at you about it, though, would you stick to your guns?
PRIME MINISTER: The social media ban is an Australian policy in the interests of young Australians, Australian families. And we say to Australian parents, we've got your back. We've listened, we've engaged with you on this. This is a sensible reform that has passed the Parliament and is now Australian law. We'll consult, obviously - as part of the legislation was a consultation process of one year to make sure that all the measures are put in place in an appropriate way. But this is a sensible policy responding to what is a new issue, a new technology which is having an impact on our youngest generation. And that is why the Government has acted. And my Government will stand up for Australia's interests.
MARSH: Well, you're in sunny far North Queensland today. It looks quite nice there behind you -
PRIME MINISTER: It's pretty beautiful.
MARSH: You're announcing funding - it does look lovely - among other things, for housing infrastructure, $100 million. We've got new data out that shows new housing approvals dropped in November. How damaging do you think this is for you meeting your housing target? You've said in the past it's ambitious. Do you think now it might be cooked?
PRIME MINISTER: No, to be clear, that was a month to month issue and what happens in the cycle of a calendar year is these changes. On the year to year data, there was an increase of more than 3 per cent. That's a positive outcome. That shows that what's happening is there is more approvals occurring. And we have an ambitious plan, yes, for 1.2 million homes for Australians. But that's why we've put in place our Housing Australia Future Fund and Housing Accelerator to deliver increased social housing. We've got our Build to Rent legislation that finally got through the Senate in December, that's about increased private rental dwellings. And our Help to Buy Scheme is about helping Australians into home ownership. So, whether it's homeowners, renters or increased social housing, my Government has implemented a plan. It was opposed - every single one of those measures for increased housing supply - was opposed by the Coalition. But I notice as well the good work that state and territory governments are doing, including Chris Minns' Government in New South Wales is really leading the way, along with Victoria under Jacinta Allan, about how we get more increased housing approvals in our suburbs and in our regions.
MARSH: We've also seen the, well we're going to see the latest inflation data come out today, which obviously will inform the Reserve Bank when they meet next month on whether or not we get a rate cut before the next election. How important is a rate cut to your chances of re-election? Are you banking on it? Can you win without it?
PRIME MINISTER: What we've been doing is addressing cost of living pressures and that's one of the reasons why we've prioritised, of course, inflation. Inflation had a 6 in front of it and was rising when we came to office. It now has a 2 in front of it and is falling. It is heading in the right direction. At the same time, we've provided support for families under cost of living pressures, whether it be Free TAFE, Cheaper Medicines, Cheaper Child Care, the tax cut for every single Australian taxpayer. All of these measures, of course, opposed by Peter Dutton. And at the next election, people will have a choice. A choice between Labor, committed to addressing cost of living pressures while building Australia's future, or Peter Dutton, who will cost Australians more with his energy plan for nuclear that will push up prices by $1200 and just push Australia backwards. You can't address the challenges before an economy by just being negative and saying no to everything. And that is what Peter Dutton has done.
MARSH: And Prime Minister, you're heading to the Northern Territory today to visit a cattle station. Senator Jacinta Price has described it as a "blink and you will miss it" stop in the Northern Territory. Obviously we're still seeing a horrific crime problem there in Alice Springs. Are you going to be visiting Alice Springs on your trip?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I had three days in the Northern Territory. Jacinta Price wasn't there on Christmas Day at the 50th anniversary of the commemoration of Cyclone Tracy. That was a really important event. I was there from the 23rd until Christmas Day there in Northern Territory. This visit will be my 12th visit to the Northern Territory - more visits than the three Liberal Prime Ministers who preceded me visited the Northern Territory over their almost decade in office. I visited Alice Springs -
MARSH: But the problems we're seeing in Alice Springs, we saw last month a baby get a skull fracture in a home invasion. We're now seeing South Australia sending police to help with the situation. You've obviously given $250 million to try and help the situation there, but it seems so dire. And you're not planning to visit to see if that money's working?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I have visited twice, Alice Springs. I've visited every part of the Northern Territory, whether it be Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Alice Springs, Uluru. And today I'll be at a cattle farm, a very large cattle farm, the size - bigger than the country of Belgium. And I'm looking forward, I had cattle farmers come to see me in Canberra and invite me to visit. I've taken up that invitation. I'm very much looking forward to that today. One of the things that we've done, of course, is restore trade with China. And when it comes to the meat export industry, red meat, that value is over $2 billion. That's jobs for Territorians, that's economic activity based in the Northern Territory. And we are working on that as well as, of course, in Alice Springs, rolling out our $250 million program, of which I sat down with the Chief Minister on Christmas Eve. We had a long meeting, worked it through with the head of her department. As well as, of course, that Marion Scrymgour as the local member there in Alice, along with Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, are working each and every day to improve the lives of Territorians and to address some of the challenges which are there.
MARSH: All right, Prime Minister, we'll have to leave it there. Thanks so much for joining us on News Breakfast today.
PRIME MINISTER: Great to be with you and have a lovely day.
